This course addresses the impact of medical errors on today’s healthcare with a focus on root cause analysis, error reduction and prevention, and patient safety. Multiple scenarios of real and potential errors in the practice of speech-language pathology are included, along with recommended strategies for preventing them. Evidence shows that the most effective error prevention occurs when a partnership exists among care facilities, health care professionals, and the patients they treat. Suggested strategies for preventing errors address all three elements: (1) models for changing the culture in care facilities, (2) lifelong learning for SLPs that is focused on ethical, evidence-based, culturally competent practice and (3) tools for educating and empowering patients. * This course satisfies the medical errors requirement for biennial relicensure of Florida speech-language pathologists and audiologists.

HIV affects people of all ages, from children born to mothers with HIV, to adolescents, to adults, and elders. Unlike other viruses, the body cannot remove HIV completely. Once a person has HIV, it is there for life. The quality – and quantity – of that life will depend on adherence with treatment. People who live with HIV can live almost normal lifespans and have little risk of transmitting the disease if they use antiretroviral therapy appropriately under medical care. However, only 30% of HIV-infected people follow their antiretroviral regimen well enough to achieve viral suppression. This course will discuss adherence issues in populations at high risk for HIV infection, as well as strategies for healthcare professionals to encourage patients to seek and maintain medical treatment.

It has long been observed that there are certain children who experience better outcomes than others who are subjected to similar adversities, and a significant amount of literature has been devoted to the question of why this disparity exists. Research has largely focused on what has been termed “resilience.” Health professionals are treating an increasing number of children who have difficulty coping with 21st century everyday life. Issues that are hard to deal with include excessive pressure to succeed in school, bullying, divorce, or even abuse at home. This course provides a working definition of resilience and descriptions of the characteristics that may be associated with better outcomes for children who confront adversity in their lives. It also identifies particular groups of children – most notably those with developmental challenges and learning disabilities – who are most likely to benefit from resilience training. The bulk of the course – presented in two sections – offers a wide variety of resilience interventions that can be used in therapy, school, and home settings.

As the population of the United States ages, more healthcare professionals find themselves treating elders. Schools, private practice, and hospitals will always be major practice settings, but the demographics of our country point to a growing need for geriatric treatment. In 2014 there were an estimated 1.5 million people in 16,000 skilled nursing facilities. By 2030 this number may be as high as 2.6 million. There is a significant need now for treatment provided by speech-language pathologists in the skilled nursing facility setting which will only grow in the years to come.Every practice setting has unique characteristics that affect clinical practice. Skilled nursing facilities have a multitude of regulations, complicated billing practices, and a culture of care that must be learned and integrated into the SLP’s treatment habits. This can make it difficult for the SLP working part-time or PRN in a skilled nursing facility. This course will provide a framework for providing care in a skilled nursing facility. It is intended to give the SLP an overview of the important aspects of long-term care that affect treatment. The average resident and common treatment areas will also be discussed.

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Professional Development Resources is approved by the Continuing Education Board of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA Provider #AAUM) to provide continuing education activities in speech-language pathology and audiology.

We can report to ASHA for you, as long as you check ‘yes’ to ASHA reporting in your account profile. We report to ASHA quarterly and the completion date that appears on your ASHA transcript is the last day of the quarter, regardless of when you completed your course.

We are also approved by the Florida Board of Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology (Provider #50-1635) and are CE Broker compliant (all courses are reported within 1 week of completion).